Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many contracts his Department has awarded to Serco since July 2013; and what the value is of those contracts.
Answered by Michael Ellis
A total of four contracts were awarded to Serco by the Department for Transport since July 2013. The total value of these contracts is £175,200.95
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will make it his policy to include in the requirement for a buffet card on all Intercity Express trains in the next franchise contract for the Great Western franchise.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department published the response to its consultation on the future of the Great Western franchise on 28 August 2018: (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/736146/great-western-rail-franchise-stakeholder-briefing-document.pdf).
Decisions on policy on the specification of the next Great Western franchise are informed by this consultation, which did not show strong demand for a buffet car on all Intercity Express Trains.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 16 May 2019 to Question 253626 on Great Western Railway Line: Catering, whether the specification of the Great Western Intercity Express trains designed by his Department stated that a buffet café-bar car was not required.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Intercity Express Programme technical specification includes a requirement that the IEP Trains be capable of providing a range of catering services, from which specific catering services and combinations may be selected. The IEP train also has a flexible design that allows changes to the catering provision in response to future requirements.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to Answer of 16 May 2019 to Question 254217 on Great Western Railway Line: Catering, what assessment his Department made of the potential merits of offering catering option H, a trolley service, on Great Western Railway Intercity Express trains.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department, in partnership with Great Western Railways (GWR), studied the costs and seating change options, provided by Hitachi Rail, for a buffet on the Intercity Express trains. It concluded, backed by GWR customer research, that the trolley service strikes the balance between ensuring catering is available whilst also maximizing the benefits of the full extra capacity that IETs provide.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what plans his Department has for the alteration of Great Western Intercity Express trains so that they comply with section 6.2.6 of the Intercity Express Programme technical specification on catering provision.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Intercity Express Programme technical specification includes a requirement that the IEP Trains be capable of providing a range of catering services, from which specific catering services and combinations may be selected. The IEP train also has a flexible design that allows changes to the catering provision in response to future requirements. The Great Western Intercity Express trains comply with all relevant catering requirements and the Department has no plans to make any changes to the Great Western IET fleet.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the current contract for the Great Western franchise includes a requirement for a trolley-only catering service on trains.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The current Great Western franchise agreement is published on the Department’s website. The franchise agreement requires Great Western Railway to offer a trolley-based catering service for both standard and first class on some services operated by Intercity Express Trains, in line with Great Western Railway’s offer to the Department at the time the franchise agreement was negotiated.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether the current contract for the Great Western franchise allows for the catering provision to be provided via a buffet café-bar counter service on trains.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Great Western franchise agreement does not prevent on-board catering provision by Great Western Railway including a buffet or café-bar counter service.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether his Department was consulted on the decision to remove the buffet café-bar service from all Great Western Intercity Express trains.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The specification of the trains was developed by the Department to deliver the outcomes it wanted to achieve with the new fleet, including more passenger seats, more leg room, increased capacity, reduced journey time, increased reliability and greater passenger comfort. This specification included an extensive, consultation process including with the train operator that was recognised by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and awarded the User Centred Product Design Award. The process involved numerous passenger groups representing commuters, cyclists, wheel chair users and visually impaired travellers.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment has been made of the level of customer demand for a trolley-only catering service on Great Western Intercity Express trains.
Answered by Andrew Jones
The Department published the response to its consultation on the future of the Great Western franchise on 28 August 2018: (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/736146/great-western-rail-franchise-stakeholder-briefing-document.pdf). This shows ten areas of response from consultees about catering, including comments about both trolley services and buffet cars.
Asked by: Jo Stevens (Labour - Cardiff Central)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to protect rail infrastructure from disruption by protesters.
Answered by Andrew Jones
DfT works closely with Network Rail, the British Transport Police (BTP) and other security and rail industry partners to minimise the risk of disruption to rail services. The operation of Britain’s railway infrastructure lies with Network Rail and it takes threats to, and trespass on, the railway network very seriously. When unlawful protest occurs, BTP leads in the response, investigation and prosecution of offenders. Following recent events, DfT has reminded rail operators of the need to remain vigilant and to report unusual behaviour to the police.